Improvement in fracture-beds



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N. PETERS, PHOT0-L THDGRAMER WASHINGTON D C UNITED STATES -d PATENTGEFICE.

M. M. LATTA, OF GOSHEN, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN FRACTURE-BEDS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 57,340, dated August21, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, M. M. LATTA,.of Goshen, in the county of Elkhart andState of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements inFracture-Beds; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilledin the art to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification. Y Thepresent invention principally consists 1n so constructing a bed to beused for fractures, surgical operations, 85o., that when so desired, andwithout disturbing the position of the patient or person lying upon suchbed, the bowels can be evacuated and the urine passed, both beingdischarged into a suitable receptacle arranged or placed upon the underside of the bed in proper position therefor.

In accompanying plate of drawings my improvements are illustrated,Figure l being a plan or top view of a bed made according thereto, andFig. 2 a central vertical section, taken in the direction of its length,or, in other words, in the plane ofthe line o: x, Fig..1.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

A in the drawings represents the fracturebed, which, except so far as myimprovements extend, may be made of any of the ordinary constructionsadapted therefor. The top, or the portion upon which the person who isto be operated upon lies, is divided into three parts or sections, B, C,and D, the part B being the head portion and D the portion upon whichthe legs or lower limbs of the person rest, both being hung by hinges aa to the central portion, C, so as to be swung up or down, and, by meansof suitable supports E, set at any desired inclination from a horizontalplane to a vertical position or thereabout, according as may benecessary to suit or accommodate the comfort or wishes of the patientlying upon the bed.

The central portion, C, is so arranged as to slidefreely in and betweentwo parallel guides or strips, F, moving upon a series of frictionalrollers or wheels, G G, suitably arranged in the framing of the bed,below the same, and it is at such a point of the bed with regard to itstwo ends as to be in position to accommodate the evacuation of thebowels or the passing of urine through their respective proper channelsby the person lying upon the bed, the said central portion, C, when suchoperations are to take place, being slid sufficiently out from under thepatient to enable the board or piece H, having an opening, I, throughit,

to be brought under the patient and into the y proper p'ositiontherefor, this board H sliding in the same ways or grooves for thecentral portion, C, and either forming a continuation or part ot' it, asshown in F10'. l, or made separate and independent thereof.

Under the central portion of the bed A a receptacle, I, is so arrangedas to be removed at pleasure,into which receptacle the evacuations ofthe persons bowels or the urine passed discharges, it being elnptiedafter each discharge or not, as may be desired, but in every case theboard or seat-piece H being always removed, and the central portion, C,inserted in itsrplaee.

From the above it is obvious that the evacuation of the bowels of theperson lying upon the bed or the passing of urine can be accomplishedwithout in the least degree ali'ecting the position of the person ordisturbing it, which in many cases is of the utmost importance, as isobvious, the peculiar construction of the bed which enables theseresults to be y obtained producing no uncomfortable or uueasy feelingsto the patient or person lying upon it. Y

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The bed having acentral portion, C, consisting ofthe slide moving in guides F on rollersG, and the sliding chamber-holder H, operating substantially in themanner and for the purpose represented and described.

M. M. LATTA. Witnesses:

(l. G. SPARKLIN, E. W. MoALLIsTER.

